Julie Bishop remains hopeful of resolution to Thailand crisis

Thailand’s political situation is still unclear two days after the army declared a state of martial law. However, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says she remains hopeful that the crisis can be resolved peacefully, writes Alexia Attwood.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says that talks in Thailand point towards a resolution of the current crisis, two days after the army declared martial law.

According to Ms Bishop, Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan says he is still in charge and is proposing democratic elections for 3 August.

Our embassy in Bangkok reported to me that the military yesterday were continuing efforts to use the martial law to resolve Thailand’s political impasse

Julie Bishop, foreign minister

‘That is a positive sign even though there wasn't any agreement,’ Ms Bishop told RN Breakfast.

‘Our embassy in Bangkok reported to me that the military yesterday were continuing efforts to use the martial law to resolve Thailand’s political impasse. So they are saying it is not a coup and to date the impression they’re giving is that they are trying to resolve the political situation.’

‘The caretaker government was represented , there was a number of ministers present, the party leader of the opposition Democratic Party was there, the pro-government Red Shirts were represented, the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee was there. The Senate, the secretary-general of the election commission, the police commissioner and the like. So I think we have to see that as a positive sign.’

Ms Bishop said Australia will be encouraging all political parties to resolve their differences through peaceful negotiations and that she is hoping to see an election.

‘I understand that the streets of Bangkok were calm yesterday, there were no incidents of political violence and our embassy’s report said the military didn’t have a heavy presence on the streets of Bangkok,’ said the foreign minister.

Cambodia’s decision to accept asylum seekers

Ms Bishop said that Cambodia has displayed a willingness to accept asylum seekers from Nauru and are fulfilling their obligations as members of the Bali Process.

‘These countries are all members of the Bali Process and membership of the Bali process means you commit to regional solutions and that is what Cambodia is offering to do,’ she said.

‘They are talking about a very small number of people. They are very keen to have people working. They are looking for people who are able-bodied who would be able to contribute to Cambodian society.’

‘It is a country with a great ambition to move from being a poor country to a developing country to being a developed country.’

Aid cuts

According to Ms Bishop, accusations that the Coalition has abandoned Labor’s commitment to spending 0.5 per cent of Australia’s gross national income on foreign aid by 2017 are misleading.

‘I know that there was no way that a Labor government would increase the aid budget by an additional $3.5 billion in one year,’ said Ms Bishop, ‘so Labor’s figures were misleading.’

‘Our aid budget is stabilised at over $5 billion this year and next year and then it will grow by the consumer price index thereafter. So we will honour our commitment to annual increases in the aid budget but it is not the amount, it is how you spend it.'

Abbott wink furore

Ms Bishop also commented on the controversy over Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s wink during an interview with ABC Radio yesterday.

‘He couldn’t speak because he was on radio,’ she said. ‘For somebody to wink to say, “It’s okay mate,” I don’t find anything sexist about that.’

‘I think people are far too quick to judge others through this prism of everything being about misogyny or sexism.’

‘Believe me, I’ve worked in some sexist environments and this is not one of them. I find cabinet meetings very respectful of other people’s opinions.’